Mechanisms of fluid degassing in shallow magma chambers control the formation of porphyry deposits

Abstract

Abstract Magmatic fluid degassing within shallow magma chambers underneath the ore bodies is critical to the formation of porphyry Cu-Au deposits (PCDs). Yet, it remains unclear that how the ways of fluid degassing influence on the development of PCDs. Here, geochemical data of apatite, amphibole and plagioclase from ore-forming and coeval barren porphyries have been analyzed in Sanjiang metallogenic belt, China. The ore-forming porphyries normally exhibit high and wide XF/XCl (31.76-548.12) and XF/XOH (0.779-7.370) ratios of apatites, which are evidently higher than those of the barren porphyries (XF/XCl of 1.03-26.58; XF/XOH of 0.686-3.602). Combined with the continuous variation features of Cl/OH ratios and H2O contents of melts calculated by amphiboles, as well as fluid migration models, we constrained the mechanisms of fluid degassing within shallow magma chambers underneath PCDs. There are three different ways of fluid degassing, while only fluid degassing via fluid channel stage can migrate and focus the metal-rich fluids effectively, conducive to the development of PCDs. The mechanisms of magmatic fluid degassing processes are further controlled by the storage depths of magma chambers and initial H2O contents of the magmas revealed by the compositions of amphibole, plagioclase and thermodynamic modelling. Magmas, with shallower storage depth and higher initial H2O content, are more likely to experience extensive and focused fluid degassing, leading to the generation of PCDs. This study demonstrates the potential utility of integrated mineral analyses, the thermodynamic modelling for investigating the mechanisms of magmatic fluid degassing in porphyry systems, as well as identifying prospective buried PCDs.